It said that Hungary currently has more than 4.1 billion cubic metres of gas available to consumers, and the stock of reserves is still growing.

The level of reserves is now at 10% above the total capacity of storage facilities Hungary had six years ago, the ministry said in a comment on the Commission’s findings.

The European Commission published the results of the stress tests on October 16. Hungary, as a result of its relatively well-connected gas network, has an important role to play in terms of receiving gas from or via Central European countries and in supplying member states and Energy Community Contracting Parties to the south and east.

On that basis it should sign agreements with bordering countries related to security of supply emergencies, in order to maximise the amounts of gas it can receive from well-supplied neighbours on the one hand, and ship onwards to neighbours facing shortfalls, on the other, the Commission recommended. Hungary should also increase transparency, the Commission said.

Recent interruption of supplies to Ukraine raised questions and complaints relative to its sudden and perceived disproportionate nature. In addition, the role of Gazprom filling the Hungarian storage under special licence-free regime should be clarified, the Commission added.

As of early October, gas reserve levels in the EU were very high at around 90%. Only two member states, Hungary and Portugal, had storage levels under 80% but, due to its large storage capacities, Hungary already had an above average storage fill-to demand ratio, the Commission said.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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